Combination bug collector and spraying apparatus



New. 10, 1925- F. B. BETTS, JR

COMBINATION BUG COLLECTOR AND SPRAYING APA'RATUS Filed May 10, 1922 2 Sheets-Shae! l IN V EN TOR.

F. -B. BETTS, JR

COMBINATION BUG COLLECTOR AND SPRAYING APPARATUS Nov. 10

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 10. 1922 Patented Nov. 10,- 1925.-

UNlTED STATES FRANK B. IBETTS, an, or DAYTON, 01x10.

COMBINATION BUG COLLECTOR AND SPRAYING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 10, 1922.

To all whom it may concern: Be 1t known that l, FRANK B. Burrs, J12,

a citizen of the United States, residing in other plants which require attention to prcvent injury thereto by bugs or insects of any kind,the machine being further adapted to spray the plants at the same time the bugs are removed therefrom, or independently thereof.

The main object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character which will be of simple construction and cheap to manufacture, which can be furnished to the user at low cost and which will be OIllI GOtlVG tor its intended purposes.

The machine is intended to be a time and labor saver, and, more especially, a crop Sl1VQ1,-itbeing well known that the damage to various crops, particularly to potato crops. and other vegetable and plant crops, resulting from intesting insects which breed and teed on the leaves of the plants, is very great in the average seasons-there being no machine or lllQUlltllliftll means for collecting insects from licld plants known to the applicant prior to the present invention.

The apparatus of the present invention consists ot a light hand-operated, wheeled implement, adapted to be moved rapidly over a row ot plants, and to generate its own power for removing the insects from the plants by suction, and. it desirable. tor spraying the plants at the same time. The implement being light and requiring but little strength to propel, can be operated by a child, and the average acreage 0f crops ot the hind named can have the bugs rcmoved therefrom. and be sprayed in a very short time.

While my invention is here shown in simple, hand-operated machine to illustrate the underlying principles of the invention and a preferred form oi construetion,it

will be obvious,- of course, that the basic Serial No. 559,789.

idea of invention here shown can be ap plied in a power operated machine, and that various modifications can be made in the general arrangement of the machine and detail features of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, or principles of constructionand operation defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate an embodiment of my invention. in one form:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the combination apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine as viewed from the rear;

Fig. 4c is a detail view of the :tan driving mechanism Fig. 5 is a detail view of a feature ot the leg-ln'aces -5,the upper ends o't each of the braces being bolted to one ot the side frames 2 as indicated at .the frames 2 being spaced apart and braced transversely one relative to the other by a cross brace -7. A su )plerm-mtal frame sup ported on side frames 2 and extended upwardly therefrom consists of opposite side truss'trames,8 joined one to the other by trout and rear cross frames -9.

The combination bug collector and spray er is supported. on the wheeled carriage above described and consists of a tan or blower -10, which may be of any suitable size and construction, and which is mounted on the cross frames 9.

The fan as here shown, is operatively connected to one of the ground wheels -1 by a sprocket chain, and gear drive. com-' prising a main drive, sprocket gear -l1, secured to the ground wheel, a. .sprocket chain 12 traversing gear -11 and a gear -l3 secured to an intermediate sprocket gear 14 supported onone of the side frames 2. A sprocket chain --15traverscs gear let and a gear 16 secured to a second intermediate sprocket gear --17 also supported on the same frame 2. A sprocket chain 18 traverses gear 17 and a gear -l9 secured to an intermediate spur gear 20 mounted on abracket 21 extended upwardly from one of the truss frames 8,- gear '20 being the driving gear in a train of spur gears comprising gears -20, 22, -23, and 24,gear 2'-i being secured to the spindle of fan 10.

From the foregoing description of the tan driving mechanism, it will be seen that the speed of the ground wheel gear 11 will be five times compounded at the tan spindle,- thus producing a relatively high speed of the tam-the ratio oithe gearing being determined as required for the most eiiective operation of the machine. In the train of gearing 20 -22 23 and 24, the gear ratios may be varied by using ditt'erent size gears on the different gear centers thus to increase or reduce the speed as may be desired. As illustrated in the drawings, best shown in detail Fig. i, a pawl and ratchet drive -26 is interposed between gear and the fan spindle,-thus to provide for free operation of the tan in the forward direction by momentum, to prevent excessive strain on the fan operating mechanism, when the implement carriage is brought to a stop.

A suction pipe 27 is connected to the fan housing at its central portion and is carried rearwardly over the end of the implement carriage and is then brought downwardly to bring the intakes 28 and 29 in close proximity with the top and opposite sides of the plants. To adapt the intakes 2S and -29 to the height of the plants, provision is made, 'as illustrated at 30 and -31,to adjust the same longitudinally of pipe 27,-the intakes 29 being set at an angle to adaptthe same to the spread oi the plants, and oil-set, or located cit-center to the line of travel of the machine to permit the operator to walk along the side of the row of plants.

It will be obvious that the suction of the fan will act to "draw bugs and insects 01' every kind feeding on the plants into pipe 27. To prevent the same entering the fan, a screen 32 is interposed in pipe -27,

and an outlet ''38 to the pipe is directed into a receptacle 34 into which the collection 0a the plants is discharged,recep tacle 34: being readily removable from the machine to remove the insects there ii -sin. 1

The sprayingapparatus includes a recept'a'cle suit-able for containing the liqt""lthe having a blow pipe 36 ope g rto' 'the receptacle. The pressure is senses in the upper portion of the receptii-tileand the iiqnid is forced fu-pward ly 1,see,eao

through a pipe 37 into the discharge pipe -38 and sprayer heads 39 and i0,the latter being arranged similar to the intakes 28 and -29 to adapt the same to the height and spreadoi the plants.

From the foregoing detailed description th'e'const'ruction and operation of the combination bug collector and sprayer will be readily understood; It will be seen that it is a very simple machine that will have relatively high power for both the suction and spraying tunctions, and that both the bug collector and spraying operations can be eii ected simultaneously or one independent of the other as may be desired. The intakes 2S and -29 and sprayer heads 39 and it) being detachable either set can be removed at will, when only one operation is to be made.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An implement of the character described. including in combination with a wheeled carriage, a suction device mounted on said carriage and operably connected therewith, a connection extended from said device, adapted to receive the insects sucked therethrough, and having a plurality of intakes connected thereto arranged in diffterent planes, angularly disposed and adjustable vertically as a unit and also relatively one to another to adapt the same to the size of plants to be operated on, and adapted to be advanced with the travel of said carriage along a row of plants in close proximity to the plants to subject the same to the suction of said device.

2. An implement of the character described, including in combination with a wheeled carriage, a frame pivotally supported at one end on the wheel axle of said carriage, and provided at its opposite end with handles for manually propelling the implement over the ground, a suction apparatus and a receptacle supported on said frame having a tubular connection extended theret'ron': and inclined toward the ground. a plurality of intake (le .'icesarranged on the inclined portion of said tubular connection at difierent elevations, adjustable collectively relative to the ground and separately relative to each other, and adapted to be moved in the travel of the vehicle into rcla tion with plants, a geared ground wheel, and compounded gearing interposed between said wheel and said suction device whereby upon forward movement being given the vehicle, operative movement at relatively higher speed will be imparted to said apparatus and a suction action will result through said tubular connection on said plants to collect and deliver insects therefrom into said receptacle.

In testimony .vhereoi", I ai'lix my signature.

Fri-Ann Jr. 

